The Tall Guy's Gear Guide

Timeless Tips

I ran across an article from 1945 about basic style advice for men, that while over half a century old, still has merit, and thought you might enjoy reading it.

Fashion is fleeting, Style endures.

 

The Great Gatsby- The Clothes

Last week we reviewed the history of 'The Great Gatsby' on film.  This week offers a look at the clothing, largely styled by Brooks Brothers, and available both in their store and on their website.

 

This version of 'The Great Gatsby' will arguably have more of an impact on mens fashion than any film in years, so we're happy to offer a visual record of the garments, as well as a behind the scenes featurette.

From the Brooks Brothers Collection:

Behind the Scenes Featurette-

 

Even if the film comes up a bit short, it's great to look at!

The Great Gatsby- Through the Years

 
(Original first edition, 1925)

At this writing, we're only a few days from the latest retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic tale of love lost, found and lost again, 'The Great Gatsby'.  First published in 1925, 'Gatsby' tells the story of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a well to do businessman, who appears out of nowhere living in a spectacular mansion on Long Island.  As the story unfolds, we discover that Gatsby's appearance is less than accidental.  He's arrived in New York hoping to resurrect his love affair with neighbor Daisy, now married to rich, but brutish Tom Buchanan.  Gatsby reunites with Daisy and attempts to turn back the clock, with ultimately tragic results. 

(Robert Redford in Ralph Lauren from the 1974 version of 'The Great Gatsby')

'The Great Gatsby' is regarded as an American Classic and is arguably Fitzgerald's best novel.  The book has held Hollywood in its thrall for years, but so far, no one has been able to successfully translate the poetry and elegance of the book to the big screen, but many have tried.

(1926 poster)

The first filmed version of the story was a silent film, released in 1926, starring Warner Baxter, Lois Wilson and William Powell.  Unfortunately, the film is lost and only this trailer remains.

The Great Gatsby (1926) trailer

 

(1949 poster)

In 1949, Hollywood gave it another shot, with Alan Ladd as Gatsby.  More of a film noir than an accurate interpretation, it's a great looking film with classic clothing and lavish sets.  This film too, is unavailable officially, due to copyright issues.  However, if you look around the internet, a copy can be found.  Here's the trailer.

The Great Gatsby (1949) trailer

 

(1974 poster)

In 1974, Paramount decided to take a swing with two of the most popular stars of the day, Robert Redford as Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy.  Although armed with a big budget, but ultimately for most viewers, it was a big disappointment during its initial release.  Many critics found Redford too frosty, but I felt that this was an instance where his remote persona really served the film. This version of 'Gatsby' is also notable for putting Ralph Lauren firmly on the map when it came to mens clothing, having draped Redford in outstanding garments from start to finish.  It's worth a look, if only for the attire.

The Great Gatsby (1974) trailer

  

(BBC 2000 poster)

In 2000, the BBC, tried its hand with a made for TV film, starring Toby Stephens, Paul Rudd and Mira Sorvino.  Hopelessly miscast on all counts, it serves best as an unfortunate filmic footnote.

(2002 poster)

A flawed, but conceptually interesting take on the 'Gatsby' myth is 'G', a 2002 film set in the world of hip-hop, starring Richard T. Jones as 'Summer G' ('Gatsby'), a hip hop mogul intent on reclaiming 'Sky' (Chenoa Maxwell), the love of his life, now married to the unpleasant 'Chip Hightower' (Blair Underwood). 

'G' is a New York story based in the Hamptons.  Plenty of beautiful people, flowing white curtains and clothes, a hip soundtrack, but the story strays and never finds a real focus, leaving its actors adrift.  But it is an interesting curio.

G (2002) trailer

 

(2013 poster)

Finally, Baz Luhrmann presents his version of the jazz age, complete with one of the biggest stars in the world portraying the doomed Jay Gatsby.  Leonardo DiCaprio, fresh from a triumphant performance in 'Django Unchained', carries this 3D epic on his narrow shoulders.  I like what I've seen so far (especially DiCaprio's wardrobe) and am looking forward to finding out if Luhrmann's vision will be the one that finally effectively translates this vexing American novel to the big screen.  We'll find out on Friday.

The Great Gatsby (2013) trailer

 

Nile Rodgers: The BBC Documentary

We've discussed Nile Rodgers in the past, both as a founding member of the influential band Chic, as well as a successful producer in his own right (Madonna, David Bowie, Diana Ross and countless others).  His best selling memoir, 'Le Freak', put a new spotlight on his work and his fascinating life story. 

The BBC produced an engrossing documentary covering the life and times of one of music's most prolific artists (and one of its nicest guys).  It's our pleasure to offer 'Nile Rodgers- The Hitmaker' for your enjoyment.

 

Sting: Live in Berlin with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

I've seen Sting in concert repeatedly for nearly thirty years, starting with the Police in 1983 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, to last year at the Wiltern here in Los Angeles.

(Sting at the Wiltern, December 2011)

He's always been an outstanding showman, with one of the deepest catalogues of pop hits of almost any artist of the last fifty years.  When he announced his Symphonicity tour, featuring a 42 piece orchestra, performing his hits with orchestral arrangements, I bought my ticket to see him at the Hollywood Bowl immediately and was not disappointed.

Below is the Berlin version of that concert.  If you've seen Sting before and liked what you saw, you'll get a kick out of this show.  If you've never seen him, you're in for a treat.

 

Take care of your whole self and find a Message in a Bottle!

Walt 'Clyde' Frazier: The Mini Movie

A few months ago, we offered a look back at one of sports' most legendary fashion icons, Walt'Clyde' Frazier.  My buddy Greg Anzalone sent me a link to a great short film on the style of the Hall of Fame New York Knick, and it immediately became required viewing that had to be passed on.  It's a lot of fun and 'Clyde's in fine form, even if his current day style is a bit...eccentric.   Thanks again, G!

 

 

Roger Ebert: Two Thumbs Way Up

Like most people who care, I was upended when Marc Sternberg stuck his head in my office on Thursday to report that Roger Ebert had just passed away.  Given that Ebert had just posted the day before about taking a 'leave of presence', due to the reoccurrence of his cancer, I realized that wasn't a good sign, but didn't expect that his leave would be a permanent one so quickly.

Ebert rated highly with me.  While I didn't always agree with his reviews, he was so clear in his ability to express his opinion and so passionate in his willingness to defend his position that I always felt that he was about as fair and unbiased as possible.  However, it seemed to me that after the surgery that robbed him of his ability to speak, while he became even more prolific, he seemed to give a pass to movies that pre-illness he would have shot down like a sharpshooter.  I like to think that in dealing with his health challenges, he may have reframed the importance of a brutally assaultive review and thought better of it.  While never lacking compassion, it seemed to have become an emotion he became more connected with.  I think his note on receiving a get well card and flowers from Rob Schneider after destroying Schneider's 'Deuce Bigelow' film illustrates my point perfectly:

"A beautiful bouquet of flowers was delivered to the house the other day. A handwritten note paid compliments to my work and wished me a speedy recovery.

Who was it from? A friend? A colleague? An old classmate? The card was signed, “Your Least Favorite Movie Star, Rob Schneider.”

It will help to establish a context if I mention that my review of Schneider’s latest film, “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo,” contained three words which provided me with the title of my new book: “Your Movie Sucks.” I regard the flowers and intuit they were not sent in the spirit of irony. Despite my review, Rob Schneider was moved to make a kind and generous gesture, one person to another.

The bouquet didn’t change my opinion of his movie, but I don’t think he intended that. It was a way of stepping back. It was a reminder that in the great scheme of things, a review doesn’t mean very much.

Sometimes when I write a negative review, people will say, “I’ll bet you can’t wait to hammer his next film.” Not true. I would far rather praise the next film to show that I maintained an open mind.

When Vincent Gallo’s “The Brown Bunny” played at Cannes in 2003, I walked out of the screening and declared it “the worst movie in the history of the film festival.” This was an unwise thing to do. My policy for years has been to avoid giving a negative review of a festival film until it has a chance to open.

Gallo issued a curse on my colon. I responded that the video of my colonoscopy was more entertaining than his film, and there the matter rested until 2004, when Gallo released a “final cut” of “The Brown Bunny” which was re-edited and 30 minutes shorter. I went to see it, and now I could see better what he was getting at, and I gave it a positive review.

“I'll bet you hated to change your mind,” I was told. No, I was happy to. It is a hard and frustrating thing to make a movie, and credit must be given where due.

Now we come back to the flowers. They were a reminder, if I needed one, that although Rob Schneider might (in my opinion) have made a bad movie, he is not a bad man, and no doubt tried to make a wonderful movie, and hopes to again. I hope so, too. "

Developing a love of movies at a young age, I found that in Cleveland, Ohio, there was no one to discuss a great film that I had just seen or an awful one that I had suffered through, so I had to just keep my thoughts, ideas and questions to myself.  In an age of no internet, no cable, let alone satellite, one was left to read the movie reviews of The Plain Dealer or, on visits to the library, digest the more cosmopolitan approach of the New York Times.

So in 1975, when I stumbled across 'Sneak Previews 'on PBS, a whole new world opened to me.  Ebert, along with Gene Siskel spent 30 minutes reviewing films and arguing about them with insight, humor and enthusiasm.  I watched the show every week; it totally informed the way I thought about the movies that I watched and convincingly put forth the notion that it's right and proper to have passion for something that others may find frivolous.

But in addition to the long running and greatly entertainly show, Ebert was a world class writer, becoming the first film critic to ever win a Pulitzer Prize for writing about film.  He had such a way with words: economical, but to never to the point of rendering the writing inert, colorful, but plain spoken.  While I loved reading his take on films that we both enjoyed, my guilty pleasure was watching him find new ways to voice his displeasure at a particularly inept film.  Here are two of my favorites excerpts:

On Battlefield Earth: "Battlefield Earth is like taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time. It's not merely bad; it's unpleasant in a hostile way."

On Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: "If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination."

Following his the results of his illness, Ebert became more active than ever, constantly reviewing films (306 in 2012 alone), blogging while tweeting constantly and writing many more books.  His refusal to hide his new appearance disturbed some, but is an example of his bravery and willingness to live life as he chose to, all the way to the end.

In closing, here's a humorous and enlightening collection of Siskel and Ebert outtakes from their popular movie review show.  They let it all hang out.

 

Roger Ebert: RIP

 

TV Worth Watching: Spring 2013

Will there ever be an opportunity to pay for television a la carte'?  I rarely watch more than five shows at any given time, yet I end up paying a ridiculous amount of money for television channels that I've never heard of, let alone watch.  It's a frustrating practice, one that seems to have no end in sight.  Fortunately, we seem to be in a golden age of television with so many engrossing shows airing, that the breathtaking quality and high level of enjoyment that these programs afford me, keep me from calling Time Warner and cancelling the whole cockamamie cable service.

Here's a quick snapshot of the shows that I've been enjoying and a couple that I'm looking forward to.

(Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins star in 'Justified')

Justified (FX- Tues @ 10pm): Regular readers know that the adventures of the Harlan County crew is my favorite show on television.  With two star lead performances from Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins, supported by an outstanding cast of character actors working with some of the best dialogue on the small screen, you'll be hard pressed to find a funnier, more character-centric, country-fried police procedural on the air. 'Justified' was just picked up for a fifth season, which will air in January 2014.  The season wraps tomorrow, but the entire season is available along with the first three at iTunes, while Netflix has the first three seasons available to rent.

Justified- Season 4 promo

 

 

(Don Cheadle stars as Marty Kaan in 'House of Lies')

House of Lies (Showtime- Sun. 10pm):  Currently in its second season, Don Cheadle is a master management consultant who travels across the country with his young team disrupting and fixing the problems of billion dollar corporations.  Cheadle's character Marty Kaan, has quite a few bad tendencies: sex addict, he parties hard and tries to keep his true feelings to himself.  A dramedy that still seems to figuring out exactly what it is, 'House of Lies' is uneven,  but I enjoy watching Cheadle every week.  One of our best actors, he shows week in, week out that even if the material isn't always spot on, Cheadle never misses. Picked up for a third season, 'House of Lies' wraps this Sunday.

House of Lies- Season 2 promo

 

(Antony Starr as Lucas Hood on 'Banshee')

Banshee (Cinemax- Fri. 10p):  Running a close second to 'Justified' in sheer enjoyment, 'Banshee' just wrapped up it's first season on Cinemax and will return for a second next year.  You can find the episodes on Cinemax's in demand channel, Max to Go.  A wild, action packed, sex filled rollercoaster, 'Banshee' focuses on a recently released master thief who gets out of jail, assumes the identity of dead sheriff Lucas Hood and goes looking for his lost love, now living under an assumed identity with a husband and kids, in the town of Banshee, Pa.  Antony Starr is Hood, small, compact, short tempered and violent.  He reminds me of Robert Conrad in 'The Wild Wild West'.  He has an ass kicking transvestite sidekick, as well as an ex-Amish gangster as an antagonist and sometimes partner.  The show is beyond over the top and knows it.  It's not for everyone, but it's alot of fun for fans of Quentin Tarantino or John Woo.

Banshee- Season 1 promo

 

(Elizabeth Moss stars in 'Top of the Lake')

Top of the Lake (Sundance- Monday @9pm):  Sundance is offering a seven part series that began this week, a mystery set in New Zealand starring 'Mad Men's' Elizabeth Moss as a detective looking for a missing 12 year old, pregnant girl, while dealing with her own issues.  Feature director Jane Campion brings her sure touch to this eerie, melancholy limited series.  It's aired three episodes, is slowly unfolding, I don't know where it will end up, but I'm all in.

Top of the Lake promo-

 

(Sterling Archer and Lana Kane starring in 'Archer')

Archer- (FX Thursday @ 10pm): Currently in its fourth season, I have been told repeatedly by female friends that this is definitely a 'boys club' show, which I can't argue.  It's a rude, profanity filled, violent but hilarious half hour about the world's greatest secret agent, who's a momma's boy to his mother who owns the spy agency he works for.  Hundreds of jokes fly by, serviced by a group of the best voice actors working today.  I laugh out loud every Thursday night.

Archer- Season 4 promo

 

(Travis Himmel leads the 'Vikings')

Vikings (Sun. History @10p):  The History Channel entered the race as a competitor in the hunt for original content television series last year with the record setting, award winning 'Hatfields & McCoys' miniseries.  Now they offer their first ongoing series, 'Vikings', starring upcoming matinee idol Travis Himmel, currently onscreen in 'The Baytown Outlaws'.  I'm a few episodes in, jury's still out for me, but if you like barbarian behavior, Gabriel Byrne and great landscapes, check it out.  With the return of 'Game of Thrones', 'Vikings' will likely be overshadowed, but it's a nice hour of escapism.

Vikings- Season 1 promo:

 

Now, one that I haven't seen but I'm really looking forward to, debuts on NBC this Thursday at 10pm is 'Hannibal', based on one of the all time great cinematic fiends, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.  It stars Hugh Dancy as Will Graham, a profiler who needs the assistance of the great doctor, unaware that he is the most dangerous serial killer of all.  Mads Mikkelson ('Casino Royale') is ideal casting as Hannibal Lecter, but it's unfortunate that the show is airing on network television rather than the less restrictive landscape of cable, but I'm going to give it a shot and hope for the best.

Hannibal- First Look

 

'Game of Thrones' (Sundays @ 9 on HBO) started season three last night.  Here's the promo:

Game of Thrones Season 3- trailer

 

'Mad Men' is this coming back for season 6 this Sunday (7), 'Breaking Bad' returns for the final 8 in June or July , 'Boardwalk Empire' returns in September, 'House of Cards is currently shooting its second season and 'Hell on Wheels' will be back at some point for its third run, so there's much more good stuff to come.

 

Carl Weathers: part 2

Carl Weathers and I met up recently for sushi and to talk about his latest project, the new webseries, 'Always Night', now available everywhere.  After that chat, I had a chance to pick his brain about actors that he personally enjoyed watching, as well as getting some info on the short lived but enjoyable '80s television series he starred in, 'Fortune Dane'.  It was a kick to hang out with him, and I thought you'd enjoy it, so here's part two.

Is there anyone out there that you enjoy seeing when you go to the movies or watch television?

CW: Well, there are two guys that I think are consistently at the top of their game.  One is Denzel (Washington).   And not just because he's Black.  Denzel has managed, in my humble opinion, to be so clear about what he does and how he does it, that his brand...he's on it, man.  He's just undeniable.  His brand as an artist is so strong and so specific, you can close your eyes..of course the voice, the delivery is just consistent and of the highest quality.  So there's him and then there's (George) Clooney.  He and Denzel are like metronomes when it comes to being on camera.  They are so secure, and I really enjoy watching them.  They manage to d0 the best work of any two guys in front of the camera. 

We talked about how popular George Clooney remains, even though, the 'Oceans' movies excluded, his films generally haven't been big money makers.  Carl offered an interesting insight.

CW: The movies may not be making money today, but I would argue, that the movies this guy (Clooney)  is making over time, if say, Turner (TBS, TNT) wants to buy those movies, they'll be able to play those movies all day, every day, because they're about something.  The way they're done, his characters are interesting, they're varied.  To me, it's pretty amazing and the camera loves the guy.

I think another thing they both have in common is that they are clearly grown men, not waifs, not man-childs.

CW:  That's an interesting observation.  In my opinion, it seems to me, maybe it's working on two levels: there's the provider and the level of the consumer.  There is this almost continual desire to soften men in ways that is palatable.  I don't know if it's about sexuality or fear of the power of men; I'm sure there's some psychological shit wrapped up in all of that.  The providers are making this kind of feminized version of men, and the consumer is buying it.  But then you have those two guys and it's not sold that way.  I mean, you have two different types of men to represent the kind of men that attract me to the material and I can see myself as a result, not that anyone else wants to see me (laughs), but I can relate to those guys. 

Is it a result of the provider or the consumer, or how we've evolved as a society, that we can tolerate our men, when they're a little softer?  Is it the feminization of everything?  Look, I get it.  I get the politics of it, events that have occurred, relevant to women and rights and so-called equality, in all of that.  At the same time, I don't know that it's doing us any good, in terms of creativity.  Perhaps it's the swing of the pendullum: it's got to swing so far to one side before it winds up getting balanced in the middle.  I don't know.

Now the conversation turns to 'Fortune Dane', a six episode ABC television series that starred Carl as a former policeman turned troubleshooter for the mayor of a fictional Northern California city (Clearly Oakland).  It was a bold move for television back then and I've always had a soft spot for it. 

(Carl Weathers as 'Fortune Dane')

Coming behind his success as 'Apollo Creed' in the 'Rocky' franchise, and showing his ability to carry a film on his own broad shoulders, in 1986 Carl took the television plunge.  Check out the trailer for a taste of 'Fortune Dane'.

FORTUNE DANE- trailer

 

Tell me about 'Fortune Dane'.

CW: It was one of those missed opportunities, really.  Unfortunately, I was just too young at the time to really know what I had there.  I'm gonna say this two ways.  That was one issue, the other issue was I didn't have a machine, that could've helped support making it better than it was. 

And there was no precedent for a show like that.

CW. None.  At the time, Lou Erlich ran ABC.  I don't even know why Lou Erlich gave me an on the air committment for six shows.  All I had to do, essentially was find a partner.  I went to all the studios, and I wanted to do the deal with MGM/UA, because they had the library that held 'The Defiant Ones' (1958 film starring Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis), and I wanted to do a remake.   That's a whole other story.  But they didn't offer enough.  I was offered a lot more from Warner Bros. So we made a deal at Warner Bros.  I partnered with Barney Rosenzweig.  He brought in a writer, Ron (Cohen).  And Ron had a lot friends, writers who got caught up in the whole Blacklisting thing.  These were older guys, but at one point were at the top of their game in Hollywood. 

(TV ad for 'Fortune Dane')

Before you know it, we're in production and we don't have scripts.  I mean, we're literally shooting with half scripts!   I would finish a show on a Thursday afternoon and the next show late Thursday afternoon and not even have a chance to read a complete script!

Who came up with the concept?

CW: Ron did.  The name, the whole thing and I loved it.  He was very instrumental in developing the whole concept.  The thing that I wanted to do was shoot it in the Bay Area.  I just thought it made for a unique, different spin because Oakland was Oakland.  They created this sort of not San Francisco, not Oakland, but 'Bay City'.  We shot in San Francisco and Oakland.  A few of the episodes work well, but I had to do battle.  That's the crazy thing.  You have to do battle sometimes that's so detrimental to the process and the project. 

I remember this so distinctly.  I wanted to use taiko drums and not do the canned TV music of the times, but they didn't get it.  Then all of a sudden, five or six years later, all you heard in scores was drum!  Maybe, it was a Black show and taiko drums scared them (laughs).  I don't know, man.  I don't know.  I remember being down here in the center of Los Angeles and the taiko drum, I just found it fascinating, because it had its own thing.  Then you've got this character named 'Fortune Dane', guy on the screen running and jumping, guns, the taiko drums building and building, and they were like, 'no, never mind'. 

And the sheepskin coat was fly!

CW: I had a designer who did them all.  Yeah, it was wild.

 

Carl Weathers: Still Fighting Fit

Working in the entertainment business, I've had an opportunity to work with and get to know a number of people that you've seen on the big screen and in the privacy of your home.  Most of those experiences are great, only a few have been unpleasant, and occassionally a real friendship will develop. 

When I was working for Sony Digital, I had the good fortune of meeting Carl Weathers to discuss the possiblity of him starring in a webseries written by Ed Brubaker, the award winning comic book writer who had written Sony's biggest web success at that time, 'Angel of Death', starring my kiwi baby sister, Zoe Bell.

ANGEL OF DEATH trailer

 

Bru had written a great script, Carl was interested and brought some great ideas to the story.  Unfortunately, Mike Arrieta, my open minded and fearless boss, left the company before we could get the final green light and the new administration...well, let's just say the light never changed from yellow.

(Carl with writer/creator Ed Brubaker on the set of 'Angel of Death')

But Carl and I hit it off and stayed in touch.  Charismatic, but down to earth, erudite and in ridiculous physical condition, Carl is an inspiration in more ways than one.  He's been a constant supporter of this blog, often sending notes of encouragement and chiding me for not doing a better job of letting readers know about cool events before they happen.  I'm working on it, sir.  I'm working on it.

(with Carl at my 50th birthday party)

It's been a kick each time Carl has come to my office, both at Sony and Big Air.  The young kids under 30 are crystal clear that they're in the presence of 'Apollo Creed' and are appropriately dumbfounded.  Long a cinematic icon, Carl lets no grass grow under his feet.  As you'll see, he keeps it moving.  Carl recently directed the initial episode of a new webseries, 'Always Night', that hit the web a couple of weeks ago.  You can see the first episode at the bottom of this post.

(Carl directing the pilot of 'Always Night')

It's difficult to talk about 'Always Night' without giving too much away.  Suffice it to say that it's a look at contemporary Black life that you don't see very often, on any screen, large or small.  There are more episodes on the way, so I thought this would be a good chance to catch up with Carl, introduce him to a great sushi spot and hear what's going on with him. 

We talked for about a half hour before I realized I hadn't turned the recorder on, so we pick up late in the conversation.

So how did you arrive at the outlet (BlackAmericanTV.com) that is distributing the show?

CW: It's his (creator Art Washington) invention, which is a part of why I wanted to be onboard.  Art and his wife Summer, and his young son Zachary Waterfire, very eclectic!  He has this particular vision about Black Americans.  There's an anathema to the term 'African Americans' with Art.  You know that whole conversation.  So that's how it came about.  He's been messing around with the whole online thing for awhile.  He wants to do a segment called 'Home Cookin', that may be a little less polished than 'Always Night', but hopefully equally entertaining. 

When will the next installment of 'Always Night' be available?

CW: The idea right now is to shoot the next one in April and by the end of April have it up and running.  I'd say by May-June we'd have the third done.

So what was it about 'Always Night' that spoke to you, creatively?

I liked the story, y'know?  I liked the twist in the story, which many people, who have responded to this, their first response is 'I had no idea!', which I love.  That means to me, the story was compelling enough to hold them, so when the twist came, it was thought provoking.  Anything that I do, in the world of entertainment, a part of what I wish for is that there's conversation post 'it' and not all conversation being the same thing.  People have different views and perspectives about what they just saw.  I'm looking for the Rashomon tale to be done twelve times over.  So when people are looking at 'Always Night', conversations have gone from 'I knew' to 'I had no idea' to 'let me look at this again'!

Come on, nobody knew.  There's no way anybody knew!

CW: (laughs) You know how we are.  We all want the world to know we knew before they knew. 

(I'm skipping a portion of the interview because we discuss spoilers.  We pick up a bit later)

CW: I have a buddy who's a writer, a very good writer and he said to me years ago one phrase (part of what I'm doing, as much as possible is writing: sometimes the computer is smoking and other times it's saying 'where are you?'), which by the way, and I'm not blowing smoke, is why I keep coming back to your blog, he said, 'astound me'.  That doesn't necessarily mean blow the top off your head, it can just mean that it's not so commonplace, it's not so cliched that I've seen it a million times.  The idea is 'astound me', make me want to come back and see more. 

For the subsequent episodes, does that complete a part of the story, leave it open for more or both?

CW: I think for this kind of serialization, it has its own completeness, but at the same time, it leaves you wanting more, so in that sense, it isn't buttoned up.

(I'm eliminating more spoilers and we continue)

CW:  Just getting eyeballs to the site for us is very valuable, and certainly for Art, as the entire baby was his invention. For me, I'm interested in people seeing the work of all these people involved, myself included, but just putting content out there.  We're in a very interesting place culturally, technologically and artistically, because technology has allowed us to do so much more.  All assuming two things: that we have the talent and that we develop the talent so that it's competitive with all the other stuff that is vying for people's attention.  If you have the talent and you develop the talent, here's one of the easiest ways for the content to be out there.  Of course the challenge is how do we monetize this, because somebody's paying the bill.  But I believe in the old adage, 'if you build it, they will come'.  But you have to build it in such a desirable fashion that they will come.  It can't be shoddy, it can't be the same thing that's right next door.  So my intention is to build it in its own unique way, so that it becomes a desirable destination.

What else are you doing with yourself?

CW: Well, it was kind of prophetic.  Art said, 'you aren't going to have a lot of time, after people start seeing this'.   Already, I have a couple of meetings about directing motion pictures.  I have a project for Chinese television that I'll direct and produce here in LA.  Theoretically we should be shooting next month.  I'm writing, I've got two screenplays that I did in '12 that I've been pitching.

(Carl with Vanity from 'Action Jackson')

After discussing 'Always Night', I had a chance to be a fanboy and pick his brain about current actors that he enjoys watching and getting the back story on his short lived, but memorable television series, 'Fortune Dane'.  Here's an ad for the show, part two of the interview will run next week.

ALWAYS NIGHT- Episode 1

ALWAYS NIGHT from art washington on Vimeo.